A view from the cycle path: An American visits Groningen

Wednesday, 6 May 2009

An American visits Groningen

My blog exists primarily in order to try to explain the differences between the way that things are done in this country vs. the way they are done in the UK and USA. Sometimes it can be difficult to get the message across as it is easy for people who haven't been here to imagine that everything is simply a little different. It just isn't like that. The little differences add up to more than the sum of their parts. The overall effect is fundamentally different.

This video, made by mariojragucci2 re-captures my original thoughts on visiting the Netherlands. Truly a different way of living. Something that isn't easy even to imagine without being a part of it.

While our initial shock was amazing enough, we kept on noticing more things, especially small things or societal differences for a long time afterwards. Having now lived in the country for a couple of years, many things now look ordinary to me, but it's great to have such a reminder as Mario's videos.

The last minute and a half of the video are actually on streets with no restrictions on driving at all. However, you'll still see "no cars" (well, almost). On roads like this, still in the city, there are few places to usefully drive to and park along these roads, so rat-running through them doesn't tend to happen. Cycling is much more convenient. You can go anywhere by bike.

I've several other posts about Groningen.

Mario has several other videos on youtube. Please watch those too.

8 comments:

Bob said...: Ah yes. Foreign guy gets his eyes opened. Too bad some of the planners can't come over and have a look around. Poor guy was searching for words so often I was beginning to feel bad for him.
I know I'll certainly be frustrated when we eventually move back home to Canada. Our cities have only taken baby steps when it comes to making it safe to cycle. Such a shame.; 6 May 2009 at 15:10
David Hembrow said...: As it happens, we organise trips for them, which makes it very easy to come over and see the infrastructure and usage.

However, getting the message across to planners that it might be desirable to come and take a look is remarkably difficult !

I ask anyone who would like where they live to look more like this to suggest to their local planners that they ought to take a trip...; 6 May 2009 at 15:23
Bob said...: David...I can certainly appreciate the effort (and common sense) you've put into your efforts to enlighten the dim-witted civil engineers. The reality unfortunately has more to do with political grandstanding than actually doing positive things for society as a whole. Our politicians are notoriously shortsighted. Put it this way, if half of Canada were somehow in danger of being flooded like the Netherlands, my house in Ontario would be under water. Keep up the effort though, since you never know just when something truly extraordinary might happen.; 6 May 2009 at 15:40
Anonymous said...: Once auto-centrism takes hold and creates a growing class of dependents, seeing alternatives becomes increasingly more difficult for elected leaders and planners. Cyclists are not seen as a large source of revenues like auto drivers and maintenance can be easily deferred when riding on four instead of two wheels.

The auto-dependent are now the majority and cycling is seen as a recreational activity and not a logical choice in the USA. The repeated reaction of "look no cars" by the American speaks volume on how shocking it seems when the majority in urban environments chooses cycling over driving. Quite unfortunate and what a shame.
Jack; 6 May 2009 at 17:14
acline said...: Can't wait to experience it for myself. I'm planning a family trip to the Netherlands for summer 2010 :-); 7 May 2009 at 00:36
Jonathan said...: David,
I have been following your blog for several months now and really enjoy your insight into bike culture differences between The Netherlands, the UK and North America.
Good timing for your post today as it corresponds to this article in today's Canadian "National" newspaper. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090506.wbcbicycle06art2245/BNStory/politics
The article is very good and to the point, but reading the comments following, really helps a person understand that changing the automobile culture in these areas will be very difficult.; 7 May 2009 at 04:50
ejg said...: Hi!
I had problems with the link Jonathan. Here are all of the link:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090506.wbcbicycle06art2245/BNStory/National/

Same problem in Norway, btw.; 7 May 2009 at 16:02
Anonymous said...: Bob, this isn't mariojragucci2's first time in The Netehrlands. I have been following him for over a year on his old account. That's how he talks all the time.; 20 May 2009 at 03:41

Posts sorted by subject

The positive stuff
Three types of safety - As well as preventing injuries and death, high quality cycling infrastructure addresses both subjective safety and social safety which are of vital importance in encouraging people to cycle.
A second revolution took place on Dutch streets in the late 20th century, transforming streets which were just as clogged by cars as those of other nations.
Pedestrians are well catered for in the Netherlands and pedestrianized shopping streets are common. Usually they allow cycling for access.
Dutch Safety Figures - Cyclists in the Netherlands are the safest in the world, but it has little if anything to do with "safety in numbers".
Sustainable safety - the principles which have lead to Dutch roads, streets and cycle-paths being safe.
A million per hour - The scale of cycling in the Netherlands is enormous. Dutch people make more cycle journeys each day than the entire English speaking world put together.
Campaigning - a collection of posts about how to campaign for more cycling. Primarily campaigning should be for children to be able to cycle. These links include reference to "Stop the child murder", a successful campaign from the 1970s.
What Works - examples of policy, infrastructure and campaigning which have made a different in the Netherlands.
Superhighways - "Cycling superhighways" are not a new idea in the Netherlands
Cycle Paths - Well designed cycle paths benefit all cyclists, regardless of experience or speed
Segregation without cycle paths - you don't always need a cycle path to keep cyclists safe from motorists
Unravelling of routes is vitally important
History - how the Netherlands got to where it is now. See especially "Stop the child murder"
Before and After - views of places before and after they have been transformed for cycling
Directness - examples of prioritising cycling
Traffic Lights - examples of how cyclists can be prioritised and kept safe at traffic light junctions. Note that it's almost always possible to turn right on a red light when cycling in the Netherlands.
Roundabouts - roundabouts in the Netherlands have one very important feature to learn from: They keep cyclists away from motor vehicles. This is far more important than the differences in geometry vs. roundabouts in other countries.
Exceptional infrastructure is always nice to see, but remember that a dense network of mundane routes is far more important to boost cycling modal share
Gritting of cycle paths - dealing with snow and ice.
Children - It may seem hackneyed, but children really are the future. If they can't cycle safely then where will future adult cyclists come from ? This is why children should be the primary focus of campaigners. Note also that according to UNICEF, Dutch children are the happiest in the world.
School travel - Everyone knows that Dutch children cycle to school, but it's a surprise to many people that school trips are also usually by bike.
Cycle Parking - including our favourite design of stand.
Cycle Parking at railway stations, see in particular Groningen and Assen as each have multiple posts showing how the cycle parking has grown over time.
Health effects of cycling
Road Works - It's important that cyclists are thought of when there are road works. If the environment becomes hostile for cyclists then they may stop cycling and never start again.
Commuting - Commuting cyclists are interesting, but they're not the only people who should ride bikes.
Anatomy of a reliable everyday bicycle - the common features of bikes used by nearly every person every day in the Netherlands.
Speed - Some people have the idea that Dutch cyclists are slow. This isn't true. It is just that in the Netherlands, everyone cycles, including the slow people. Fast cyclists are as fast as anywhere. These posts show people who ride faster than average, using the same infrastructure as those who ride slower.

The less positive stuff
What not to do if you want a cycling "revolution" - Long list of interventions and policies which are not helpful.
Copy the best examples from the Netherlands - a short list summarising the above. Important to copy the best examples, not just anything "Dutch". Bear in mind that the Netherlands is not perfect.
Shared Space - this much hyped idea simply does not work well. It disenfranchises the vulnerable and claims of safety are exaggerated. Don't confuse the concept with far more successful nearly car free streets.
Shared Use Paths designed to be used by pedestrians and cyclists together. These rarely work well because the two user groups are too different and it leads to conflicts. They are not built in the Netherlands (but cycle access to pedestrianized zones is good).
Strict (or presumed) liability - If you think this is an important part of why people cycle in the Netherlands then it is probably not what you think it is.
Helmets - one of several ways of scaremongering about the supposed dangers of what is actually a very safe means of transport

Myths about cycling

Long list of myths and Excuses - Various reasons that many people, even existing cyclists, give for why the cycling rate is low in their country, including:
  "our streets are too narrow"
  "it's too expensive"
  "our population is too spread out"
  "we have hills
  "our distances are too great"
  "it took decades in the Netherlands"
  "it's because of the price of gas"
  "it's the weather"
  "Cycle-paths cause indirect journeys"
  "Cycle-paths make people slow"
Cycling is "booming" in Britain - a claim we hear remarkably frequently, but it'll take a lot more than the action taken now before it will be true.
The Truth about Copenhagen - Pretty pictures and nice branding are all very well, but facts are important too. Denmark has no explanation of why the cycling modal share is falling in Copenhagen. The Netherlands has avoided this problem and sets a much better example of how to achieve a high cycling rate.
The Truth about Cambridge - Cambridge in the UK has made claims of being a true cycling city. The city does have the highest cycling rate in the English speaking world, but there are special reasons for its high cycling rate which cannot be copied elsewhere. Most people don't talk about this. I do.
London Superhighways - Unfortunately, London seems to be having trouble coming to grips with the idea of prioritizing cyclists.
Boris Bikes - London's bike share scheme, just like others worldwide, lacks the capacity to make any real change, and makes up for it with hype.